1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automated, self-operated, karaoke recording system for recording a video and audio karaoke performance by a karaoke performer, and for providing an audio and video copy thereof to the performer in exchange for money.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years the popularity of karaoke entertainment has lead to a desire by karaoke enthusiasts to have copies of themselves performing karaoke musical composition selections. Some devices have been proposed which allow a person to perform and record a karaoke selection and to receive a copy of that performance at the conclusion thereof in exchange fbr money. The marketing concept behind such devices follows the concepts of self-operated photo booths that have been utilized for many years.
In a conventional photo booth, a user assumes a designated position within the booth, seated in front of a camera. The booth is illuminated within and usually equipped with curtains on the sides through which a user enters and leaves so as to control the level of illumination within the booth. By operating a conventional money receiving, verification, and control device, a camera directed at the user automatically, or under user control, takes a number of photographs of the user or users who remain at a designated posing position within the booth. The photographs are then automatically developed immediately and dispensed to the user, the money having already been collected. The user then exits the booth.
Essentially the same marketing concept has been proposed for the recordation of private karaoke performances by means of which users can record their visual and audio performances of a karaoke selection, and receive a copy of their performances for their own personal uses. One such conventional system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,481,509, which is incorporated herein by reference. The '509 patent discloses a jukebox entertainment system that provides for the recordation of karaoke singing by an operator. In that system, a television monitor is disposed in the front face of a jukebox. The lens of a video camera is mounted substantially flush with the front face of the jukebox at a position beneath the television monitor. A computer system is used to display digital audio/video data stored in removable hard disk drives in the jukebox. The user makes selections of tides to be recorded.
A microphone is coupled to an audio amplifier so that a user can sing along with the audio out signal produced by the decoder board when a karaoke song is played. A background video image including the words of the song is displayed on the television monitor, while the audio background music is played through a speaker.
In the '509 patent the video camera is coupled to a video tape recorder. The video output of the video tape recorder is coupled to the video-out line of the decoder board. The user's image can be shown on the television monitor or on one or more remote television sets. User's may utilize the video camera and the video tape recorder to record themselves performing a karaoke song on video tape.
Conventional karaoke recording systems such as those disclosed in the '509 patent, have certain undesirable features and have not gained wide-spread public acceptance. One very disadvantageous feature is that in such conventional systems the karaoke performer is always looking at the video display monitor, rather than the video camera which is always located off to the side, above or below the video display monitor. As a consequence, in the recorded video performance the performer does not look directly out at the viewer, but rather looks in a different direction. This detracts significantly from the quality of the recorded performance.
Another distinct disadvantage of conventional, self-operated karaoke recording systems is that the lyrics of the karaoke music composition are displayed in a line running across the bottom of a screen. As a consequence, the performer's head is always turning first to one side and then to the other in order to view the lyrics on the screen. This also is disconcerting to a person viewing the recorded performance.
Another disadvantageous feature of conventional systems of this type is that when the performer's image is superimposed upon a prerecorded background scene, it appears as a double exposure or phantom image. Therefore, the background scenes utilized are typically very washed out or faint, so as to minimize this effect. This detracts markedly from the vibrancy of the recorded performance.
A further deficiency of conventional, self-operated karaoke recording systems is that they do not accommodate variations in the vocal range of different persons performing the karaoke selections. As a consequence, a person singing a karaoke selection is often forced to attempt to reach either high or low notes beyond his or her vocal range. The resultant audio recordation of singing by the performer is therefore significantly diminished in quality.
These and other deficiencies in prior art self-operated karaoke recording systems lead to recorded karaoke performances that are generally of such a low quality as to be unacceptable to most prospective purchasers.